Control and Tax Cannabis. Good Idea?

Now that the initiative for marijuana legalization and taxation will be on the California ballot this November, does it really seem like it is a good idea?

Don’t get me wrong. I am neither for, nor against the Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010. As a former indulger of weed (years ago), I feel for those 700,000 who signed the petition and are pushing for this act to pass, but I’m not exactly sure how this will benefit the buyers.

First off, not only are you being charge a set price for what seems like less weed, but you’re going to get taxed for it as well. On top of the apparent rip-off, you have to jump through hoops (unless you have a legitimate excuse), to get your medical MJ card, which, I must add you have to pay for as well. Please correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t it seem easier to get it from your own dealer and not worry about taxes or being ripped-off… well, you still may be ripped off, but at least you won’t be charged a “membership fee” and have a tax percentage implied on your dub.

Second, if the Act passes, don’t you think it will affect the crime rate in Los Angeles, specifically those areas with dispensaries in the vicinity. With an estimated 545 dispensaries in LA County, how can someone expect something to not happen. And when I talk about the crime rate, I don’t mean a dispensary being robbed because according to LA Police Chief, Charlie Beck, “Banks are more likely to get robbed than medical marijuana dispensaries”.

According to LA Weekly’s “Toke of the Town“, in 2009, the LAPD received reports of 71 robberies at the more than 350 banks in the city, or one robbery for every five banks. That compares to just 47 robberies at medical marijuana facilities, less than half the crime seen at banks. Beck, interestingly, got the number of pot dispensaries wrong in doing his math for the Daily News, saying there are at least 800 dispensaries in L.A. Not so, as L.A. Weekly has definitively shown, there are only 545 pot clinics in the city.

Third and lastly, Obama our beloved President. Why on Earth would HE, of all the presidents, be the one in term to have this Act pass, IF it passes. And I’m an Obama supporter, so there is no issues of racism or discrimination. Unfortunately though, there are those who will think this: “Oh, of course the black president doesn’t oppose to legalization of marijuana”. I feel he will only subject himself to scrutiny by those ignorant folks who think nothing but negative thoughts about, not only the democratic president but, the BLACK democratic president.

Now, let’s review. If this act passes in November, how will the people benefit? Billions of tax dollars to put towards California’s growing deficit of course. We need it right? In exchange, potential rise in crime, taxes on your weed, “membership fees”, and being ripped off. Oh, right. You’re bound to get ripped off, either way.